Choo got scratched from the lineup today due to a "trunk injury". If that ends up being an oblique, he'll be out for the rest of the season. That would be a huge blow.

Also, it looks like the White Sox are going to put in a claim on Thome and they have precedence over Cleveland. Buster Olney reported today that if the Twins and White Sox don't work out a deal, the Twins may put Thome on release waivers which would make him a free agent. If that happens, he's likely to go to...

...wait for it...

THE PHUCKING PHILLIES!

_________________i'll never be a bowie, i'll never be an eno. i'll only ever be a gary numan.

_________________Gob: "My God. What is this feeling?"
Michael: "You know, the feeling that you're feeling is just what many of us call ... a 'feeling.'
Gob: "It's not like envy, or even hungry."
Michael: "Could it be love?"
Gob: "I know what an erection feels like, Michael. No, it's the opposite -- it's like my heart is getting hard."

So getting Thome is cool and all but it's little more than the Indians running the proverbial white flag up the flagpole, right? I see no value in this other than making a few dollars for the club as the season winds down and they end up finishing third in the division. I love Thome but I am fucking done with Ohio baseball.

Go Steelers!!

_________________Gob: "My God. What is this feeling?"
Michael: "You know, the feeling that you're feeling is just what many of us call ... a 'feeling.'
Gob: "It's not like envy, or even hungry."
Michael: "Could it be love?"
Gob: "I know what an erection feels like, Michael. No, it's the opposite -- it's like my heart is getting hard."

Games remaining against teams with a winning record:Cleveland - 9 (including 6 with the Tigers)Detroit - 0 (including 6 with the Indians)

That second number could change if the Indians and/or White Sox can feast on teams like the Royals and Twins, but Detroit has the significantly easier last month of the season.

...and the best pitcher in baseball

_________________Gob: "My God. What is this feeling?"
Michael: "You know, the feeling that you're feeling is just what many of us call ... a 'feeling.'
Gob: "It's not like envy, or even hungry."
Michael: "Could it be love?"
Gob: "I know what an erection feels like, Michael. No, it's the opposite -- it's like my heart is getting hard."

Here's a list of every player who has finished a season with an OPS of 1.100 or better in the last 10 seasons including 2011:Albert Pujols (2003, 2006, 2008*, 2009*)Barry Bonds (2002*, 2003*, 2004*)Jim Thome (2002)*won MVP

The second highest OPS in baseball this year is Joey Votto's .992. The second highest in the American League is Adrian Gonzalez at .975.

Don't get me wrong, Verlander's amazing and is clearly the most dominant pitcher in the majors this year, but I think Bautista wins the award and deserves to.

_________________i'll never be a bowie, i'll never be an eno. i'll only ever be a gary numan.

How many of those players were on teams that were in 4th place and 14 games out? Your stats mean nothing to me.

_________________Gob: "My God. What is this feeling?"
Michael: "You know, the feeling that you're feeling is just what many of us call ... a 'feeling.'
Gob: "It's not like envy, or even hungry."
Michael: "Could it be love?"
Gob: "I know what an erection feels like, Michael. No, it's the opposite -- it's like my heart is getting hard."

So, really, Pujols is the only outlyer and probably won cause he's considered the best in the game and has been for a while. The others winners, judging from their GB stats were in it til the end. Bautista does not carry the legend (yet) that Pujols does. My guess is he doesn't win it though he may deserve it. I also think Verlander deserves it and that pitchers are more directly tied to "value" than sluggers.

Tell ya what, Bautista wins I will buy you drinks at a location of your choice; Verlander wins and you buy me Dirty Franks...??...

_________________Gob: "My God. What is this feeling?"
Michael: "You know, the feeling that you're feeling is just what many of us call ... a 'feeling.'
Gob: "It's not like envy, or even hungry."
Michael: "Could it be love?"
Gob: "I know what an erection feels like, Michael. No, it's the opposite -- it's like my heart is getting hard."

Tell ya what, Bautista wins I will buy you drinks at a location of your choice; Verlander wins and you buy me Dirty Franks...??...

You're on.

FYI, it's been 19 years since a pitcher won a league MVP award (Eckersley, 1992) and 25 since a starting pitcher did (Clemens, 1986).

Baseball writers do not like to give this award to guys who only play 35 out of 162 games, no matter how dominant they are.

Oh I know about these writer dudes. These are the same guys that think you should save your best clutch pitcher until the 8th or 9th inning before bringing him in just so you can record that coveted save. The save has to be the most worthless stat in baseball.

_________________Gob: "My God. What is this feeling?"
Michael: "You know, the feeling that you're feeling is just what many of us call ... a 'feeling.'
Gob: "It's not like envy, or even hungry."
Michael: "Could it be love?"
Gob: "I know what an erection feels like, Michael. No, it's the opposite -- it's like my heart is getting hard."

So getting Thome is cool and all but it's little more than the Indians running the proverbial white flag up the flagpole, right? I see no value in this other than making a few dollars for the club as the season winds down and they end up finishing third in the division. I love Thome but I am fucking done with Ohio baseball.

Go Steelers!!

uh... cause halfner is out???

_________________"My brother's Municipal League baseball team is named the Stepdads. Seeing as none of the guys on the team are actual stepdads, I inquired about the name. He explained, "Cuz we beat you, and you hate us."-unknown

So you sign an aging slugger who's hitting like .240 and has, what, 11 home runs? If you're serious then make a run for Berkman or someone who can still hit the ball.

_________________Gob: "My God. What is this feeling?"
Michael: "You know, the feeling that you're feeling is just what many of us call ... a 'feeling.'
Gob: "It's not like envy, or even hungry."
Michael: "Could it be love?"
Gob: "I know what an erection feels like, Michael. No, it's the opposite -- it's like my heart is getting hard."

_________________"My brother's Municipal League baseball team is named the Stepdads. Seeing as none of the guys on the team are actual stepdads, I inquired about the name. He explained, "Cuz we beat you, and you hate us."-unknown

20 pts higher than an average OPS is not something I would be shouting about. Anyway, I like Thome and though I'm a Red's fan, I like the Indians too. I just think they made a mistake with Jimenez which hamstrung them from getting a bat that wil help them win their division.

_________________Gob: "My God. What is this feeling?"
Michael: "You know, the feeling that you're feeling is just what many of us call ... a 'feeling.'
Gob: "It's not like envy, or even hungry."
Michael: "Could it be love?"
Gob: "I know what an erection feels like, Michael. No, it's the opposite -- it's like my heart is getting hard."

20 pts higher than an average OPS is not something I would be shouting about. Anyway, I like Thome and though I'm a Red's fan, I like the Indians too. I just think they made a mistake with Jimenez which hamstrung them from getting a bat that wil help them win their division.

i think everyone was a little surprised they got an arm instead of a bat. guess they figured on halfner sizemore and choo doing a little more.

_________________"My brother's Municipal League baseball team is named the Stepdads. Seeing as none of the guys on the team are actual stepdads, I inquired about the name. He explained, "Cuz we beat you, and you hate us."-unknown

I think we can lay the sabremetrics to rest and agree that The tigers are superior to the tribe

btw.. the yankees are superior to the royals.

_________________"My brother's Municipal League baseball team is named the Stepdads. Seeing as none of the guys on the team are actual stepdads, I inquired about the name. He explained, "Cuz we beat you, and you hate us."-unknown